


Roots Unbroken

by Allthemusicnamesaregone



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Gen, Hidden World, Magic, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:40:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24194467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allthemusicnamesaregone/pseuds/Allthemusicnamesaregone
Summary: An unedited (fix that later) version of 'What I did on my summer vacation' featuring bad diplomacy, telling the truth and a narrator who just wants to get this written down to get some sleep before her test already.This is my first summary so leave a comment if the summary was not at all helpful or needs more clearing up.





	1. In Which Things Start Off Bad

There’s always an exception to the rule. That’s the first thing I was taught in 5th grade science class and it has never failed me since. I’d like to make it clear that I am not the exception to the rule and not in the “she was a perfectly ordinary girl way”. That being said there is nothing that I as the narrator can do to convince you otherwise and that’s fair. Reading this is your choice and if this doesn’t seem interesting to you then just put it down, but if you want to hear about how to deal with the removal of attic dragons, the intricacies of supernatural dram.. .I mean diplomacy, and the completion of the longest essay ever. Okay now the intro.  
This essay is meant to illustrate my growing understanding of the supernatural relations that … insert more here about good learning opportunities… community is needed for our lives … I'll just fill this in later  
Coming into college, especially the UA, was always going to be a transition, but I never expected a transition quite like what happened. I grew up in a small town in Washington which was 90% agriculture because you know since I’m a Previosa/ Hamena it was good for the community for me to be there. Being in the middle of a lot of supernatural groups, a diplomat is always nice and keeping the orchards flourishing was just an added bonus as far as the locals were concerned. I started an internship in the summer at the local government office which was fine, it was mostly taking minutes at meetings, filing paperwork, distracting cops, the usual. I did get paid which was nice since it’s letting me pay for some textbooks this quarter.   
The day by day was usual ...and then someone had to fuck it up by illegally importing a box of who-knows- what from Canada of all places. I mean seriously we share a border with Canada you can drive up there and do who cares what and then come back down. But no, you chose to pay some shady guy who smells like the dumper of an Applebee’s $500 to bring something down here to make you high. Because that’s a great decision (Note to self: Edit this part before turning this in.). I have news for you dude, weed is legal in Washington State, just pay the taxes on it! But no you have to be stupid and I had to deal with the FBI’s most peppy werewolf investigator first thing on Tuesday morning.  
Seriously, my first impression of the guy was a Southern voice going “Hey sweetheart I’m Agent Miller with Agent Carlson. We’re here to see the mayor about some important business so if you show me her office real quick I’d be mighty thankful.” I mean come on does that actually work outside of Hallmark movies? His partner who I guess was Agent Carlson was browsing the pamphlets of local events and looked up when her partner leaned on my desk acting like he was doing me a favor.   
And I know that the idea of a broody looming angsty werewolf is an outdated stereotype and that not expecting otherwise may be a sign of ingrained societal biases but this guy comes in pulling the TV agent stereotype so I reserve the right to judge his people skills. I was sick and there’s this guy coming in calling me “sweetheart”, which I do not appreciate in that super high pitch “I think this will make you like me” tone. So that added to my frustration… a lot. I think they understood that at least because Agent Carlson walked over and let me tell you was she pretty. You know when you look at someone and think ‘oh that’s a specific type of good looking but they definitely pull that off’? She looked like someone who worked a job at an office and was completely professional but would fight someone who insulted her and win in 2 seconds and honestly I can appreciate that aesthetic. She was some supernatural being but honestly unlike syrupy werewolf I couldn’t figure out what, at least not without being in the same room for a bit longer.   
Since they were obviously in the know all I had to do was send them up to Mrs.Gonzalez with a heads up sent on the computer but that doesn’t mean I was happy about it and my tone let them know.   
“Up the stairs behind me first door on the right.” He smiled and thanked me before I added “Oh … and Agent Miller I don’t recommend calling anyone in this town sweetheart if you’re planning on more conversation than ‘Go away’ at best.” I threw in a smile given to little kids and annoying customers for good measure.   
Agent Carlson nodded in thanks and dragged her partner off as he started to open his mouth again. She was a very smart lady thank goodness. I rolled my eyes, grabbed my headphones and prepared to just spend the rest of the day making some copies for the town’s monthly meeting. I figured the agents would arrest the sprite drug-buying idiot, make up some bs for the federal government’s report, and be out of town in 2 weeks. Until someone spilled the beans about my history and I got dragged into the worst shitstorm of ‘the truth is out there’ that I’ve ever seen.


	2. Who Snitched

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The FBI causes problems problems because drama.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So classes are out for the time so updates may be more common but I don't know for sure. Any feedback is welcome!

‘So snitches get stitches’ is an old phrase that should not be taught to kids since they need to be able to communicate with adults without fear of repercussion. However, that does not mean that you can go spilling my skill set to anyone you want, even the FBI, if you hope to not have the flowers in your garden wilting for a year and to catch every small cold and flu that passes through town. Hey I can’t control that, what goes around comes around when I’m in town, and giving someone else’s secret away is rude at best and downright dangerous at worst.   
There’s always the risk that the information gets out and attracts Stalkers and Collectors or someone looking to stake a claim on the territory. But Melissa Garter wasn’t paying attention when she decided that the new people in town must be a part of a diplomatic convoy. To be fair, she did check and make sure they weren’t normal humans, but finding out that some random strangers knew what I was was like ice water snaking down my spine.  
I’m allied with the Gonzalez’s in that they allow me to stay in town and look after me, but officially I’m independent of supernatural groups. Usually that’s great in allowing me to talk with people who might not, but if I get taken by the government or even a big enough council they can’t help me. It wasn’t a problem before because there’s not really any big council’s in Washington, Idaho, or Oregon. I mean there’s a bunch of small groups of werewolves, witches, vampires, and even fae running around in the big cities like Portland and Seattle, but everywhere else is a small town, wide open land, and enough tree-hugger vibes to keep everyone big away.   
Trolls hide in forests, selkies hide in the sea, and magic users hide in villages. It’s not a new saying but it’s still true. And now my hiding was over. I knew I was going to leave for college. I mean I’m writing this essay, but I didn’t think my transition was going to be that abrupt. And in a way I was right.  
I found out that the Agents knew what I was when they showed up at my door at 7 o’clock in the morning with me still in my baggy sleep shirt and yoga pants. Hey it was my day off.   
“Was there any reason that we didn’t know we were talking to a Previosa last week. darling? Seems like something that the mayor should have told us or something that could be implied … as a common courtesy you see.” There was the sharp smile and a little flash of amber eyes. My back straightened up at the implication in that statement.   
“I would think that an FBI agent would know the difference between common courtesy and sharing of personal information. Or does the difference get ignored when you want to be nosy?” I always hated the power plays that came with diplomacy and since he showed up to my house I didn’t bother showing my little indicator. No need to give more information then I needed too, this was already going to be a delicate balance of indicating ‘fuck off’ without giving enough insult to give them a reason to issue notice.   
“Can we come in?”   
Raising an eyebrow. “What happened to common courtesy?”  
All of this was enough for Agent Carlson to step between her partner and the door.   
“We mean no harm to you and yours if you give to harm to me and mine.” The standard intonation didn’t really comfort me but I didn’t want to leave them on the porch and the wards clearly accepted the statement if the goosebumps on my arms were any indication.   
“My home is open to you,” pause. “I have to work in a bit so this can’t take long.” And I want you out was implied. I'm not normally so rude but this was already making my hair stand on end and I didn’t want to see where this wind of change led me. School starts in the fall and I just need to make it through the summer earning enough money to last me to winter break.   
I’ll admit starting school a couple of years late isn’t ideal but I needed to build my strength in the community before I could realistically think about leaving. I’d had to break my bonds with my root once before and that was more than enough experience with that. This wasn’t the same but it was starting to feel like the beginning of a bond breaking ceremony. We come to change the foundation of this place.


	3. Magic Explanation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I try world building and some magic gets explained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have some more free time right now between classes so this might speed up a little. If anything is worded confusingly please let me know.

So since Previosas tend to be rarer in the magic community I should explain so the TA grading doesn't think I’m just making shit up. Previosas don’t tend to have much magic of our own.Magic tends to range on a scale from I can burn down this building but not light a candle to I can sever a single artery in your brain and then have to nap for 2 hours. One end is power and the other is precision and it’s really tricky to get a lot of both. Previosas do not get both. We don’t have a lot of raw power, I can’t make a building fly or summon an evil demon, at least not without a lot of help. However, I can use some spare energy that’s just hanging around. It’s not usually a conscious effort and it takes time to build bonds into the community to use the power that comes from just being around people and if you’re lucky wards and other magic.  
In return we act as kind of warning systems, we feel the wards, the magic, the bonds between people, even the natural shifts in energy. For those more scientific minded think of feeling the seismic waves from an earthquake or an early shift in wind patterns for a hurricane. You can see it coming and if I’m rooted deep enough the whole town is going to know about it. I can’t really stop it and I can’t really force it. Just take the power of what’s around me to influence and nudge and use what protections already exist.   
Now this makes us valuable to some morally ambiguous people for a couple of reasons. And I know Chris who just wants the credits and doesn’t actually read these might be like “why are you writing it down then’ and I had to disclose this stuff to the university already it’s in my student profile so just shut up and let me explain. People like the idea that you can force someone to tell you if danger is coming or can use your defenses to protect you all while growing stronger and not having a lot of direct power to wield against that person in return. But that’s not all the information either. I said I can influence and I can but not usually on purpose. Magic moves as energy, effectively, and that’s a hard thing to consciously manipulate without sending a big flag of “Hey that person seems suspicious” so when we feel like we’re in danger, the magic does some bad. Not like a bad day but a steady stream of stress,discomfort, anger,pain and a bunch of other nasty emotions means that the area feels it.   
Wards get weaker, animals leave the area, crops grow less, people get sick easier, all the benefits get reversed. And that’s where the backfiring comes in for most people.   
Of course, this isn’t all my magic. My family has some mixed heritage so I got a little from my mom’s side but this is the one that people know and fear and sometimes, if you end up with some info spilled to the wrong person at some odd timing, want to control. Which brings me back to the FBI at my door and the asshole in Canada who tried to smuggle some magic mild altering substances.   
I didn’t get this info filled in until later but basically the black market value for something called “Magic Dreams” (yes it’s a stupid name and yes the black market exists for magical substances like anything else) got really high in the US and the main place it’s made is in Canada. So someone paid a random American to drive back home with the substances, the problem being that the person hid those substances in a backpack, and then lost the backpack in the one diner on the highway heading down to Oregon. Someone opened the backpack and saw the weird substance and since it was a tourist called the next city’s over police department instead of the sheriff’s office and now the FBI’s here wondering why we have some real weird zip-lock bags of stuff.   
I’ll get to what this had to do with me in a little but honestly at the time I had no idea what was happening and just was hoping that the Sheriff hadn’t committed embezzlement or something to start all of this.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time really writing a story, so if you have any advice or notice any errors let me know in the comments. I don't have a lot of this story planned out so we'll see how it goes.


End file.
